Corn popper



May 20, 1930.

T. S. WALKER CORN POPPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1929 Zia 4W;-[777/6 of #44427? y 1930. T. s. WALKER 1,759,475

CORN POPPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1929 May 20, 1930. 'T'. sWALKER 1,159,475

CORN POPPER Filed May 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /4 as v v jg I 5477"0/P/YEK Patented May 20, 1930 PATENT, OFFICE TITUS S. WALKER, FMEMPHIS, TENNESSEE CORN POPIPEB Application filed May 15, 1929. SerialNo. 363,284.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for popping corn. 7

Among the objects of this invention are:

(a) To provide a simple and efficient de 5 vice for popping corn,preferably utilizing electricity as a heating means;

(6) To provide ready "and convenient means by which access may be had tothe pop I ping pan, whereby the corn to be popped may 10 be placedtherein; I

0) To provide means for preventing lodging of corn so placed onundesired portions of the machine;

(cl) To provide simple and eflicient'means for retaining an electricalheating element fora corn popper; I I (e) To provide simple andefiicient' stirring or. agitating means during popping and means foractuating such stirrer;

i (f) To provide simple and efficient means for dumping the popped cornafter popping has been accomplished; V I Y (g) To provide a displaycasein which the corn already popped is displayed to prospective customers;f H I (h) To provide means for separating unpopped corn from that whichhas properly p pp v (2') To PIOVldOIIlGELIlS for collecting and removingunpopped corn; and I f (j) To generally improve the design andconstruction of such a machine. 3

The means by which the? foregoing and other objects are accomplished andthe manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood from thefollowing specification on reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich: I

Fig. 1, is a front elevation ofthe machine;

Fig. 2, is a sectional II-fIIOfFignB; j 7 I Fig. 3, is a fragmentarysectional elevation on an enlarged scale taken as'on the line IIII'II ofFig. 2; j

' r Fig; 4, is a similarly enlarged fragmentary sectional plan taken ason the line IV-IV of Fig. .2;

Fig. 5, is a planview of the machine with the cover and the cap for thestirrer gears removed; m

.readily removable. The glass sides ll, and back .12 are each' 85elevation onv the line Fig. 6, is a fragmentary sectional elevationtaken as on theline VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are referred toby numerals; the machine comprises essentially 'a base j '10, a displaysection having transparent sides 11, ends 12, and 13, and a top 14, thefront end, or front 13, having a glass panelled door 15 therein. Thesides, and ends rest on the base 10, and the top 14 is disposed over andrests on the sides, and ends, and these parts are held together byfourbolts '16, one at each corner thereof. a j

Preferably, the base consists of arectangu lar, ordinarily square, metalcasting'with I 1 open center. Thejsides and back end of the basearefessentiallybars L shaped on cross section having one leg 17,horizontally disposed to form the top of the base and the other leg 18extending downward.- In front the vertical leg of the L has been cutaway to provide space for a drawer leaving the horizontal" leg only. Theside bars each have a vertically depending web 19 carrying an inwardlyprojecting flange 20 at the bottomoftheflange and adjacent the" bottomof the base which flanges form a support for a drawer 21. p 22 is ascreen conforming substantially to the interior of the display sectionand resting on the base. The openings 23 in this screen so arelarge-enough .to pass unpopped grains of, corn but sufliciently small toretain popped grainsthereon, andthe screen is preferably rectangular incross section with their bot tom edges resting on the flanges 17 of thebase 10 and their upper edges against the top 14. The vertical edges ofthese/panels I are secured in posts 23, eachof which'i's'substantially Lshaped in cross section'with a triangular fillet 24 at theinterior'junction i i of the legs and a bolt groove25 'at' the'exf- 1terior junction thereof. The glass panels are disposed againsttheinterior surface of the post legs and extend to the fillets 24, theyare secured in place by a securingstrip ,26

which is substantially a triangular strip, pref erably truncated toprovide clearance for the J I fillet 24. The securing strip is clamped1,00 1 I the light bulb 80 and is maintained on these parts until thecharge of corn .in the pan is popped. The progress of popping may beobserved through the cover 44 provided it is of glass, or if of metal,such progress may be noted by removing the cover from time to time. Whenthe charge is popped, the rod 44; is raised and the one edge of the panswung downward to dump the entire charge, both of popped and unpoppedcorn into the case therebelow. The pan is then swung upward into place,the rod turned horizontally to latch the pan after which an. additionalcharge may be put therein and popping be resumed. It will be especiallynoted that the removal of the cover and the swinging movement of the pando not in any way interfere with the continued action of the stirrer sothat while it may be desirable to stop the stirrer motor while the panis being dumped there is no necessity of so doing as the stirrer "1parts have independently fixed bearings.

The charge dumped from the pan falls on the screen 22, which permitsunpopped corn to pass, leaving only the white, fiufi'y' popped corn fordistribution to customers. Such popped corn liesiii the lower portion ofthe casing and is entirely visible to prospective purchasers. The light80 not only furnishes illumination, but together with the heat radiatingfrom the exterior of the popping pan,

furnishes heat to maintain the popped corn hot. In dispensing poppedcorn the door is opened and the corn scooped up from the surface of thescreen. Unpopped grains which pass through the screen are caught in thedrawer therebelow and may be removed from time to time.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: c g j 1'. In a cornpopper, a top having a cir- *IL' cular opening therethrough, a removablecover disposed thereover, a popping pan hingedly secured to theunderside of said top, and fixedly mounted stirring means, comprising abar spanning said top opening and se cured at each end to said top, avertically disposed stirrer rod'journalled in said'bar, stirrer armscarried thereby adapted to coact with said pan, an end of saidrodprojecting above said bar, a gear thereon, a horizontal shaft disposedparallel with said bar, a gear .on said arm meshing with said rod gear,a

motor mounted on said top, and gearing connecting the shaft of saidmotor and said horizontal shaft for actuating said stirrer rod.

2. 1 In a corn popper, a top having a circular opening therethrough, aremovable cover disposed thereover, a, popping pan hingedly secured tothe underside of said top, and fixedly mounted stirring means,comprising a bar of triangular cross section, disposed nalled in saidbar, stirrer arms carried thei'eby adapted to coact with said pan, anend of said rod projecting above said bar, a gear thereon, a horizontalshaft disposed parallel with said bar, a gear on said arm meshing withsaid rod gear, a motor mounted on said top, and gearing connecting theshaft of said motor and said horizontal shaftfor actuating said stirrerrod. j v

3. In a corn popper, a rectangular base, comprising elongated side andend members surrounding a rectangular opening, said side members eachhaving an inwardly projecting horizontal ledge adjacent the lower edgethereof, a rectangular drawer disposable on said ledges and adapted tocomplete a bottom,'a rectangular screen disposed on and supported bysaid bottom, said screen overlying said pan, and a show case disposed onand secured to said side members andextend v ing thereabove. I f,

1-. A corn popper including a rectangular base, atop of similar shape,grooved corner posts, each extending upward from said base to said topat a corner thereof, bolts each disposed in a grooved post and securingsaid top and base,rectangular glass panels forming sides andva rear end,each disposed between a pair of posts and between said base and top,said posts each comprising an L shaped member having an exterior boltgroove at the junction of the legs of said L and a truncated triangularsecuring strip, between which strip and the interior of-the L legs saidpanel edges are secured and screws securing said strips and L memberstogether. 7

5. A corn popper including a rectangular, base, a top of similar shape,grooved corner posts, each extending upward from said base to said topat a cornerthereof, bolts each tween a pair of posts and between saidbase l and top, said posts each comprising an L shaped member having anexterior bolt groove at the exterior junction of the legs and anintegral triangular fillet; and a truncated triangular securing strip,between which strip and the interior of the 'L legs said panels aresecured and against which fillets said panel edges abut, andscrewssecuring said strips and 'L members together.

6. A cornpopper including a base, a display section disposed thereon, atop resting on said displayv section, and means securing said partstogether, said top having a circular opening therethrough, an annularfiangesurrounding said opening and above said top, a

p saidpan edge,

7 V iq -play" section disposed thereon,

ing; element in the'base thereof,

curing said; p an to the underside of said top,

said top havinga hole therethrough opposlte said hingesand exterior tosaid flange, alug' projecting :Erom theupper edge of said pan; 7opposite said hinges and extending upward: through said'hole,

an extensible rod hinged to said lug, SGCLIIHIg" sa d pan inraisedpos1t10n and ahgnable wlth-sald holeto lower pan may be dumped, said panhaving. a heat A 'corn popperiineluding a 3 0n saidydisplay section andm'eansjsecuring lar opening a said parts together,-

said top having afelrcutherethrough, an annul are flangesurroundingisaidopening and above said top, av hemispherical-11y shapedcover, removably disp osfed von said, flange, a. substantially hemiingfrom saidtop to ard p n n surroundingsaid open ng and above said top,

a substantially hemispherieally shaped cover,

' sig atu sphericalzpopper pan, hingessecuring an edge.

of saidpanto theun lerside ofsaidtop, means for lower ng or raising,and. seeurlng ithe p si d e of: s i 7 limit upwardmovement fsaid pan.

V8. Acorn p opper ineluding a base, a dis; 7

play section disposed thereon, a top resting V on said" display sectionand means securing N 52nd top hav ng a c rcu saidparts together,

here hr nsh, a n r a ge remoyably disposed on said flange,a'substantially hemispherical} popper pan, hinges'securing said pan*haying a hole .therethrough opposite saidj to said flangefalug protothe underside of said top h n s a d xte i r jeeting from the upper edgeoffsaidlpan'op 'posite said; hinges and extending upward for raising thefree hr ug Sa d hol m s edge of said pan and secur ng said; pan inraised position- V I In testimony whereof I hereunto ,aflix my TITU-S QEK m ma whereby the contents of said,

basepadis- I .a top resting d pan, and lugs depend- V

